Simply in Awe

The Netherlands:  a beautiful region with kind people and so many stories to be told.  My ramblings will be in snipets as my mind continues to process all that I am experiencing . . .

I am definitely drawn to the churches here, the architecture, the history, the beauty.  Yesterday, Sara and I spent a great deal of time at the St. John's Church at Gouda, a church dedicated to John the Baptist, the patron saint of Gouda.  It the longest church of the Netherlands, and it's home to 64 magnificent stained glass windows, all which tell a piece of history.  As we walked around the museum within this church, we were able to see the stories being told in each, stories of the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus, to the beheading of John.   Oh course, I found it tragically ironic to see several scenes of battle and death as the history unfolded in the windows; but Sara and I both were drawn to the image of the dog that appears in so many of the windows.  Since we couldn't read the Dutch language, we finally received the answer to our question:  why is a dog, often lying at the feet of a person, in so many pictures?  Answer:  dogs symbolize faithfulness.  Oh course they do . . .

Beneath our feet in the floor of the church, we realized that we were walking on tombstones.  Yes, people were buried in the church . . . . we both paused a bit on that fact.  Another fact I must share:  the windows of Jesus and the 12 Apostles were taken out and placed in safe keeping during WWII,  and one window is referred to as the Liberation window (interestingly titled: Jesus and the women taken into adultery).  I love history.

The beauty of the rest of the town can be seen later in my pictures.  Of course, I haven't been able to download yet, but I will upon my return.  Two of my favorite pictures will be of Sara standing with a large statue of french fries dripping in mayo.  Yes, I discovered that the Dutch love this treat.  It is pretty darn good.  The other picture is of our beverages of choice: I had a Brugse Zot (a blonde bier), Sara, a dark Kasteel, and 11% alcohol . . .  ) *smirk*

Of course, surrounded by cheese was fun.  The rounds of cheese hang across the streets, in the windows, etc . . . and we found our way to every cheese shop available, trying as many as possible.  Over 15.  Yummy!  I purchases two from the street market, which I used for the evening meal I cook for my hosts, and the other . . . well, Sara, after her 11% beverage, left the pepper cheese on the floor of Goud, the restaurant.  Ok, I need to stop teasing her about that . . .

A special treat that evening, I experienced live Jazz.  The irony, the singer, Lynn Hilton, is from Chicago.  Once we made the connection, she enjoyed using Indiana in a few lines of songs pointing to her "neighbors" -- yes, I was called out in a bar.  Hmmm, lots to chuckle about there . . .

So much more to share.  I'll return soon. . .  I must go live a little more right now . . .

Peace!